How Do Dental Implants Work?

How Do Dental Implants Work?

What happens when a tooth goes missing? Well, for one thing, it's not as big of a deal as you may think. Thanks to modern dentistry, it's now fairly easy and safe to replace a tooth. Anyone who is missing a tooth (or even multiple teeth) can have a dental implant. People commonly lose teeth due to accidents or diseases. If you're wondering about dental implants, read on for more information.

What is a Dental Implant?

This is a form of dental surgery that involves implanting a new tooth into your jaw. The dentist will essentially be implanting in three parts and often in separate stages: a post, an extension, and then a crown.

The first thing a dentist will do is remove the damaged tooth and prepare the bone for surgery. Depending on what is needed, this may also include a bone graft. Once the jawbone heals properly, the metal post is inserted into the jawbone, then later the dentist will attach the crown to the extension portion of the post.

Do Implants Require General Anaesthetic?

You may have novocaine, a local anaesthetic, or if there is significant anxiety or other reasons, there may be an option of conscious sedation, which means that you are still responsive but heavily sedated. This is not the same as a general anaesthetic, which means that you are completely asleep.

The choice of anaesthetic depends on the extent of the surgery. Normally a general anaesthetic will not be used for just one tooth.

How Long is the Recovery Time After Surgery?

Recovery time will vary from patient to patient and will depend on the extent of the surgery. There will typically be swelling, discomfort and bleeding that lasts a few days to a week. Pain medication should help you through this process. You should be able to start eating regular foods after about a week, but if the surgery is extensive, you may be advised to only eat soft foods for several weeks.

Are Dental Implants Painful?

You should expect some amount of pain and discomfort with any type of surgery, but normally aftercare will include a prescription for pain medication. It's difficult to tell how much pain a person will be in, because everyone experiences pain differently. Your dentist or surgeon will typically give you detailed instructions on post-care.

How Much to Dental Implants Cost in the US?

Without insurance, a single dental implant will likely cost upwards of $1500.

If you're looking to get dental implants in Lowell, don't hesitate to ask your trusted dentist about more information on the best options for your situation. One of the key things that dentists and hygienists must learn in their training is how to effectively sterilize office equipment and surfaces in order to control for infection.

Not only is it imperative that all staff understand these processes for optimal patient care, they also have to make sure that processes are efficient and that equipment is maintained as they proceed with teeth cleaning and other procedures.

Here are the ways that dentists keep their equipment fully and completely sterilized for your safety.

Sterilization Areas

All dentists should have special areas that are separate from the regular treatment areas that are designated for equipment cleaning and sterilization. Having a separate area is the best way to guarantee that no contamination takes place between instruments. This is also where dentists dispose of special surgical tools.

Ultrasonic Cleaners

Ultrasonic cleaners are state-of-the-art devices that actually use sound to clean. It's better than direct scrubbing because it reduces the chance of damaging delicate equipment.

Ultrasonic cleaning is used for almost all equipment. These are cleaned in specialty solutions and never with regular household products, which can damage the cleaners. They are placed in special instruments for a specific period of time and covered with a lid to avoid any contamination.

Autoclave

An autoclave is only one example of the type of high-powered sterilization equipment that is regularly used. Autoclaves are chambers that essentially blast equipment with extremely hot, pressurized steam to kill microorganisms. Typically instruments are cleaned in specific cycles and are left in the autoclave for long periods of time to ensure that they are thoroughly disinfected.

Packaging

You've probably seen dentists pull equipment out of cupboards that is wrapped in plastic. After equipment is sterilized, it's imperative that it arrives to the patient without any risk of contamination. That's why dentists use paper, plastic and other types of packaging to help keep instruments safe while they're sitting on the shelf. Packaging not only keeps equipment safe, it can also be a useful organizational tool.

Sometimes dentists use monitoring tools (tools that test for bacteria and other microorganisms) to check instruments before use as well.

If you are getting your teeth cleaned at a new dentist and are wondering about their sterilization techniques, ask your dentist for an autoclave validation, which is a report from the autoclave company that proves that the dentist is using it properly and regularly.

These are only a few examples of the ways that dentists today take extra care to prevent infection. When you are booking your next teeth cleaning in Lowell, don't be shy about asking your dentist about their sterilization and cleaning techniques.

One big problem is that braces can cost $4,000 to $9,000. For instance, you might get an $800 tooth-colored crown for just $500 - a $300 conserving. Check out a few bottom lines to think about below.